The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-10-05
MURDER MOST FOUL.
UNKNOWN PERSONA TER
RIFLE DEED.


of the corporation line, on the Bayou
Robert road.
The store house in which Mr.. John
Leckie, tile victim, was doing bust
ness is situated on the right hand side
of the road going from town, and in
dimensions will measure about 1Sx35
feet. There are two rooms in the
building, the largest one being used
as the store and the smaller one as a
sleeping apartment. In the small
room, on the right hand side, is a VIM
dow opening in a cotton field, and be-
tween the cotton field and the store is
a fence.
Reports have it that Leckie had
closed his store early and had retired.
At $3.50 o'clock that night a negro
man passed by and hearing Leckie
groaning reported the same to Mr..
John Grogan, relation of Mr.. Leckie
by marriage and also his nearest
neighbor. The deceased was in the
habit of doing this when asleep, and
Mr. Grogan thinking that nothing un-
usual was the matter paid no atten-
ton thereto.
Nothing further was heard in the
matter until Sunday morning. A boy
had gone to Nr. Hastings, who has a
store near Leckie's, and inquired for
ginger cake; Mr.. Hastings having none
referred the boy to Leckie's, to which
place he went, and after calling and
receiving no answer at the front door
went to the window, which was open,
and looked in, and saw Leckic lying
in the position described below. The
boy at once reported back to Mr.. Has
tings, and the latter, as soon as Mr..
Geo. kelso and another gentleman
came along, went over to the store
and saw Leckte tying dead on the bed.
Thus the discovery Of this damna-
bic deed was made, and the crime un-
earthed, and soon the news spread like
Wild fire over the Town.
Ill sorts of rumols were rife; differ
cnt theories were advanced, aud hard
" one person agreed with the other.
Coroner JOHN Casson was at once
summoned, and soon an autopsy was
held, and a jury on inquest, composed
of Messrs. A. Jarrcau, Alphonse Da
vid, II. NJ. lluie, Louis Girard, and
john Laney, were i'npanelled.
Their verdict was "tlat the de-
ceased came to his death from the eff
feet of wounds inflicted in the head by
means of har Of iron or other metal
lie body, breaking the skull in two
places-by the hands Of some I'M
known person.
The wounds were two-one over the
orlitary ridge Of the right eye, both
tables of the skull fractured over a
space of one inch; the other wound
AT the base of the skull just above the
right ear, abont 2 by 3 inches, both
tables broken, no cut in scalp at this
point.
Leckie's body had apparently been
carried from the window, mentioned in
i preceding paragraph of this article j;
The window had evidently been forced
open. Here it is supposed that de-
ceased was dealt the blow which, sum
noned him to his maker. Close by
the window, and from there to the bed,
bloodstains were visible; a towel and
handkerchief were found on the floor
both of which had blood on them !;
whether Leckie used them or the par
ty who did the Killing is not known.
His body was lying on the bed, his
legs hanging over the sides of it, and
the arms we're folded over the abdo-
men. The right hand breeches pocket
was inverted; at the foot Of the bed,
covered by the bed clothes, was found
money to the amount of S29.25, where
it is supposed deceased had placed it
for security. A straw hat, mashed in,
was also near Ivy.
The natural supposltion is that the
deceased had rot gone to bed-that
he was assaulted early in the night j;
how long he fingered is unknown; at
the time of the inquest his body was
yet warm.
Toche jenkins, q colored man, had
been at the store all that evening, I'M
til dark, and he it was who was sus-
picioned, aud was arrested and lodged
in Jail. Jenkins shoe fit in the tracks
by the window; he also had blood stains
on the front of his shirt. jenkins de-
MES that he is guilty.
Leckie was a man of family, having
wife and children. He has always
borne a good reputation, aud that he
should he so foully dealt with, in such
barbarous style, is surprise to this
community.
We learn that strenuous efforts are
being made to trace the crime, and
the guilty party or parties brought to
Justice. This people express them
selves plain in this killing, and de-
nounce it in most severe terms.
WE are still paying the highest
market prices for cotton, cash down,
and selling goods cheaper than ever.
Bauer & We'll.
Our new stock of Watches are
now in. We have the following Rail
J IrrII IN n W.